PPA North Secretary’s report
The PPAN AGM was held in Glasgow on 16th February 2013at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Goodbyes were said to Dougie Lachlan ( Higher Educational Institute representative) , Shona
Houston ( PPA N secretary) , Bob Cuthbertson ( Treasurer) and Linda Sparks (Interim Chair} who
were standing down and heartfelt thanks for their commitment, diligence, organisation and
enthusiasm was given . These posts were replaced by
Neil Clark - Chair
Chris Seenan – Education Officer
Maeve O’Neill - Executive committee member
Jenny Drinkell -Secretary
As the PPAN accounts were transferred to the CoOp Bank, the PPAN treasurer’s role was is
now part of the PPA treasure role.
Two study evenings were held. In May, within Queen Margaret’s University, Edinburgh,
“Meaningful Conversation about Pain” featured Heather Wallace from Pain Concern who
gave a presentation on communicating with people with chronic pain and Linda Pollock who
reported on the research into “Airing Pain”, an internet radio show from Pain Concern.
Around 50 physiotherapists came to listen and a waiting list existed for free places. In
November, 2 dance movement psychotherapists - Barbara Erber and Caroline Galen, gave
an experiential introduction to working with trauma through body awareness and
movement, including practitioner’s own physical awareness. Demand for places again
outstripped supply as the experiential format required smaller numbers. This was attended
by around 20 physiotherapists with students particularly well represented.
The PPAN committee consulted members over the Scottish Government consultation over specialist
residential chronic pain services (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/07/9995).
Unfortunately there were no responses after email discussion, the PPAN committee responded on
behalf of the PPAN voicing a preference for option 2.
A teleconference in July allowed us to plan for the autumn study evening and consider future pain
training. It was useful to talk in addition to the regular e-mail correspondence between the
committee members.
The waiting list scenario at the study evenings prompted the committee to look at IT
solutions to allocating places in 2014 to ease the process of assigning spaces to future study days
and hope to generate more involvement in future pain education in Scotland and the North of
England working with the PPA. We also plan to support a mindful movement study session.
Jenny Drinkell,
PPAN Secretary